Skip to content

Land use accounts

How big an area is Denmark? How big a share is covered by forest? The land use accounts show the size of municipalities in square kilometres as well as the land cover of municipalities, e.g. how much is covered by fields, forests and roads. 

Explainer on…

The observed physical and biological cover of the Earth's surface which include natural vegetation and abiotic (non-living) surfaces.

Selected statistics on Land use accounts

This page shows selected popular statistics on the subject of Land use accounts. In Statbank Denmark, you can find more data and compile your own statistics.

Areas of the municipalities

Here you can see how big the municipalities of Denmark are, measured in square kilometres (mark/mouse over).

 

In Statbank, you can find more data on Area 1. January by region (ARE207)

Read more about sources, method and quality in the documentation of statistics on Land Accounts

Land cover of Denmark

Here you can see how big a part of Denmark that is covered by agriculture, forest, roads, etc.
More about the figure
Last update
16.1.2023
Next update
16.12.2025
Source data

The compilation of statistics on land cover is based on a several maps on land coverage. The maps are all produced outside Statistics Denmark and are used for a variety of administrative purposes. Sources are:

  • GeoDanmark - a Danish topographical map, maintained by the municipalities and the Agency for Data Supply and Infrastructure.
  • The Danish Cadastral Map from the Danish Geodata Agency
  • Fields and field blocks, an agricultural map from the Danish Agriculture Agency.
  • Management plans state forests
  • Management plans Danish Defense
  • Map of Natura2000 habitat types
  • Map of protected habitat types

For land use, the sources used are:

  • The Danish Cadastral Map from the Danish Geodata Agency
  • The Danish register of buildings and dwellings
  • The Danish register of businesses, as well as the register of agricultural establishments
  • The civil registry
  • Municipal plans
  • The Danish Tax authorities register on properties

Number of inhabitants is from FOLK1A as of 1 Jan.

Forest area

Here you can see how big a part (per cent) of each municipality that is covered by forest.

Explore which municipalities have the most built-up, agricultural, dry and wet natural areas etc. by clicking ‘Get your own statistics in the Statbank about Land’ under the map and then ‘Select via map’.

More about the figure
Last update
16.1.2023
Next update
16.12.2025
Source data

The compilation of statistics on land cover is based on a several maps on land coverage. The maps are all produced outside Statistics Denmark and are used for a variety of administrative purposes. Sources are:

  • GeoDanmark - a Danish topographical map, maintained by the municipalities and the Agency for Data Supply and Infrastructure.
  • The Danish Cadastral Map from the Danish Geodata Agency
  • Fields and field blocks, an agricultural map from the Danish Agriculture Agency.
  • Management plans state forests
  • Management plans Danish Defense
  • Map of Natura2000 habitat types
  • Map of protected habitat types

For land use, the sources used are:

  • The Danish Cadastral Map from the Danish Geodata Agency
  • The Danish register of buildings and dwellings
  • The Danish register of businesses, as well as the register of agricultural establishments
  • The civil registry
  • Municipal plans
  • The Danish Tax authorities register on properties

Number of inhabitants is from FOLK1A as of 1 Jan.

On the statistics – documentation, sources and method

Gain an overview of the purpose, contents and quality of the statistics. Learn about the data sources of the statistics, the contents of the statistics and how often they are published.

See the documentation of statistics to learn more:

Land Accounts

These statistics concern the size of the land area of Denmark, how it is covered and how it is used. Land cover estimates how Denmark is covered by roads, buildings, crops, forests, lakes etc. Land use estimates for what purpose the land area of Denmark is used, e.g. for housing, industry, trade, recreation etc. Land accounts are part of the the Environ­mental-Economic Accounts (Green National Accounts).

Need more data on Land use accounts?

You can go on searching on your own in Statbank Denmark. Find detailed figures, e.g. areas broken down by regions and police districts.

Contact

Dorthe Larsen
Phone: +45 23 49 83 26
Michael Berg Rasmussen
Phone: +45 51 46 23 15